Some 25+ years back, Smokey Yunick, Engine Designer and Diesel mechanic designed and perfected a radical new engine.

A IC engine with NO Valves.He used an Pontiac Iron-Duke 151 cu/in 4-cyl with one piston removed, now a 3-cyl.

From a solid block of aluminum, he installed two solid bars, about 2.5" dia or so.In those bars he cut large slots, the bars rotated within the top of the cylinder.

One bar delivered intake/fuel mix the other exhausted the spent mix.

Big Deal you say ?Yup, the limiting factor on combustion temperatures right now is red-hot glowing valves, causing detonation and or pre-ignition.

The engine had a belt driven supercharger to get it running, then switched over to a turbocharger for mixture feed.

All this eliminates the drag of valve guides, rocker arms, lifter drag, and the biggie, valve spring resistance.

There's more, and the most important part.

He used "air heater baskets" like a power plant uses to recover heat from the exhaust.This he fed back into the intake at a whopping 375F !

So now we have a roughly 113 cu/in engine.On the dyno it produced over 300 hp at the flywheelThe EPA emissions were on the floor, tiny even by today's standardsThe fuel consumption was minimal, almost all the heat was recirculated into the motor, he stated the engine could be run in most climates with NO Radiator.Production Costs were low.Lifetime was long and trouble freeHe had nearly a million miles on the engine with the Dyno time and ON Road time combined.

About "78~GM then Ford and then Chrysler all marveled at this little engine that could.Giddy with excitement, they blew the parking lot. Later, No Calls, No Letters, nothing.

15+ or so years go by, again the same Big-3 sent Mechanical Engrs and Electrical Engrsto review his data, drive the car, insert emission test gear into the pipe, observe Dyno runs, inspect 100k mi+ power-plants disassembled and gain perspective on the little engine.

The wear was minimal, his data was conclusive, the production costs were profitable, The EPA would be pleased, the owners and manufacturers happy. .With thoughts of personal greatness in mind, they each went back to corporate headquarters.

Never to be heard from again..

Today, the magazine article cannot be found in any reference material anywhere on the web, nor the engine. The patent office shows NO records of it ever having existed, I suppose this changes hands when the patent is sold..

During his like Smokey never sold that engine, you can find minimal info on his "hot-air" engine which came prior to the valve-less design..

Oh, well, I just guess that the Big-3 decided a long life engine that got INCREDIBLE Gas Mileage wasn't worth the effort..

Or,, was it Big-Oil that bought the patent rights after Smokey died ?

Much like 84 year old Stan Ovshinsky, who designed the Nicl

Ovshinsky entrusted GM that his NiMH Vehicle Battery system would be manufactured and used in electric vehicles such as the successor to the EV-1

Ovshinsky sold Ovonics Battery company and the patent rights to GM who formed "GM Ovonics"Gm then sold "GM Ovonics" to Texaco OilTexaco was bought by Chevron. Chevron / owner of "Ovonics" then filed a patent infringement suit against Toyota's battery supplier, Panasonic, that ultimately succeeded in restricting the use of its large format NiMH batteries.

There's more to the story, here's the bottom Line.

If it burns too little Crude Oil, it WILL be bought for ANY PRICE,, any price, money or ....

in the cse of the EV-1 and future electric ccarsA- the Lead acid battery was too heavy and weakB- the LiOn battery is much too expensive and prone to fireC- The NiMH battery is inexpensive, not very heavy, not prone to fire and POWERFUL

Stan Ovshinsky interview with The Economist Quote"I think we at ECD made a mistake of having a joint venture with an oil company, frankly speaking. And I think it's not a good idea to go into business with somebody whose strategies would put you out of business, rather than building the business"

GM promised that any EV-1 vehicles returned to General Motors would be completely recycled or donated to Universities for study.Instead, they CRUSHED every one except for 2 or 3 which had the AC inverters removed and now sit in a museum.

18 - Ethanol / Alcohol fuel additives shall be replaced by other chemicals that do NOT require farmer subsidy, giving Monsanto a stronger foot hold on the economy.

19. Diesel Automobile EPA restrictions shall be relaxed to allow the burning of B-100 Bio-Diesel as long as it comes from sources that are NOT subsidized by the US Govt.If the EPA will NOT relax the "too-much, too-soon" standards on Auto diesel engines,then a in-tank monitor shall be installed to inform the ECM/PCM of the percentage of Bio-Diesel and perform DPF Burn-Off procedure's accordingly.

20 - The Last, [aren't you glad] TO THE BIG-3 and Everyone Making Cars.We do NOT give a Hoot about 300 Horsepower, 400hp, etc Except "performance cars of course.

We DO care about, torque to get to road speed and mostly, MILES-PER-GALLON

Fire all union workers. Build plant in right to work states only. Design and build the cars in the US. Without the union intervention and lazy, over paid workers quality will improve and prices will come down opening up competition and creating careers and jobs again in the USA. Unions destroy America.

That's true, but I think the type of treatment you're referring to occurred in the '20s and '30s. From what I know the auto companies treated their employees better after WWII. Unlike in Japan (don't know about Germany), there was always an adversrial relationship between the UAW and management. Fortunately, that's less true in recent years.

There is no need for unions today. Workers have legal rights, ever heard of OSHA for one? Unions create lazy, uneducated, people that feel they are entitled to everything without working for it. People need to learn ambition and pride through accomplishments and not being left back by getting handouts from a lobbyist group that meets with the biggest union thug on a weekly basis, Obama. This liberal mentality that everything should be given to you is a disease and has killed the American economy.

Aha, I knew it would come down to this, low credibility bitter political babble, and from a source that apparently loves cars made in South Korea, by unionized workers in a domestic auto industry that has been subsidized by their federal government to the nth degree. So much for hard work and not having things given to you, eh.

Quote "nice conspiracy theory"Quote"I suspect there's more to the story than the oil companies simply buying him off"

Quite obviously the Big-3 would Not accept Smokey's contract concerning this camless / valveless-engine, that is until his demise, now it's missing in action. [Much like the 15 layer Optical HD, POOF, it's gone,I suspect in M1-Abrams and F-22's ] the "Good-ol-Boys"[Vaishyas] at the top will only allow us "the ""untouchables, to have what is Forced upon them to give us

I've spent over 5 decades in close proximity or working with Both University presidents and upper echelon personnel.

Private sector is focused on profit, damn the people, damn the environment.

Military sector is focused on: "In the interest of National Security, the health and well-being any single citizen or group of citizens is of no concern. [SSDD]

If anyone has noticed the news, CAFE Regulations, not increased significantly since 1983.Obama has signed into effect new CAFE regs, We will have to wait and see if the next President, if Not Obama, nixes them.

One reason, Big-Oil and Big-Auto are Buddy-Buddy, scratch my back and I'll scratch yours..

The responses to so many threads from non-ME, or non-Mechanical Technician types makes me think of the "Stepford-Wives" or perhaps the proverbial Ostrich with his head in the sand.

"Accept what they give us to drive, ask NO Questions"

Go along with Montsanto's GM ProductsThink that Ethanol in gasoline is the best alternative to MTBEBELIEVE the lies regarding Bio Diesel. Bio*Diesel causes Less hunger in the world than the usage of Corn for Ethanol, check the production rates below.

How can we "Reduce Foreign Dependence on oil if Ethanol uses 3.5-4~BTU's per BTU of Alcohol/Ethanol produced ?That and the fact Ethanol has 76K BTU/GL, while Gasoline has 115K BTU/GL

Shall we not forget the fuel consumption INCREASE that Ethanol causes.Both items works well for Big Oil don't you think?

MTBE was a flop, we know that,There are Other and cheaper was to oxygenate fuel, naphthalene is one of the many.

Why did the EPA jump on diesel autos, demanding a particulate count equal to gasoline cars?The fact that for each BTU used producing Bio Diesel = 4~BTU's Fuel.Big-Oil surely won't like that, and we MUST keep them happy.

This argument reminds me of the Tobacco CEO's testifying to Congress.Each one saying "Tobacco is NOT Addictive"

Someone in power is saying "Using 4-BTU's to manufacture One-BTU of Ethanol is Good For America" [or good for their "Golden Parachutes]

Which side do YOU believe.BTW, do you Know who owns the News Corporations ?

If you want news that is Not influenced by Big-Wall-Street types, check outFSTV and LinkTV

I find offense regarding your statement about Smokey Yunick being a cheater, as though cheating was his "way-of-life, removing any credibility to his patents etc .IN Racing, ALL competitors "bend" the rules AND Yes cheat as much as possible..

Remember Dale Earnhardt and his illegal rear springs, allowing the car to drop down out of the slip-stream and pull away like he had an extra 50hp.

And #24, Jeff Gordon, got caught with Ceramic Brake Rotors when one broke.

#48 Jimmy Johnson with his illegal steering

The list of NASCAR infractions is endless.

Drag-Racing, Pro-Stock's most successful FAMILY, the Gliddens,,Rusty Glidden, son of Bob Glidden, stated ON-CAMERA, "They never found our Nitrous System, it was in the Hood Scoop"Instantly FIRED by ol Dad Bob. Team Glidden never dominated Pro-Stock again.

NASCAR has always had a wink-and-nod relationship with cheaters in its ranks. Last year, NASCAR handed down 62 penalties for technical infractions at its 36 races.Many of those were considered inadvertent "mistakes"That's NASCARese for cheating.

Historically, the rule of this road is that if you're not cheating you're not trying. .ALL RACE TEAMS "Bend" the Rules "Cheat" whatever the term you like.It is the Nature of the Beast, in all forms of motor racing.

Do NOT single out the late Smokey Yunick as a "cheater" in General.In his dealings at his Diesel Engine shop and Chevrolet Engine design site in Daytona Beach Fla, Smokey was reputed as a honorable and trustworthy businessman..

If not for Corporate Americas Hold on our bank accts, a Yunick engine would occupy your vehicle's engine compartment right now.

Regarding Smokey's "Boom", all inventors have incidents,Edison had almost 10,000 failed experiments with the storage battery, Marconi was credited for the Radio, this was corrected in 1943, patent rights to Nikola Tesla.

In the case of Nikola Tesla, he had no will, the US Govt confiscated all his documents, one of the most odd, his "Earthquake Machinelink titleTesla, unlike Edison, was a true scientist.link title

Nikola Tesla, Smokey Yunkick and others, worked long and hard discovering methods, inventions, and patents that will never see the light of day. Many purchased and locked up by Corporate USA. Or confiscated, "in the interest of National Security"

Many inventors of fuel-saving devices have "vanished" one in the Western USA, of the many others to mysteriously disappear, was Rudolph Diesel.His engine was designed and intended to run on a version of Bio-Diesel, not Crude-Oil refined Diesel.

To the Big-3 and Big-Oil, Smokey Yunick was of the most dangerous men in the world.

IN Racing, ALL competitors "bend" the rules AND Yes cheat as much as possible

That was Smokey's excuse. Doesn't make it right. And it casts a big shadow about his claims about his miracle engine.

My favorite cheat of his was putting in the correct size gas tank in one of his cars, and then making a ~11' long, 2" tubing size gas line to the engine so he could stuff another 5 gallons of gas in the car.

You seem to have alot of information here. I have worked in the oil industry, and I sold directly to all major industrial sectors including the automotive industry & the related feeder industries.

Do the oil industries and the petroleum industries work hand in hand? Based on historical analysis of automotive design and performance - I conclude that the answer is yes.

Don't forget what happened to delorean and his experience with GMC.It is worth reviewing his story.

We should also include a 3rd party in this, and that would be government.

The automotive and petroleum sectors are major tax collectors for governments.

There is alot of lip service regarding customer service, but customer service has been deteriorating for many years.

Now what I am discovering is that the automotive manufacturers are giving a lot of lip service to design, performance, and environmental considerations; however, they are simply experimenting with cutting costs and cutting quality to increase their profit margins.

I agree with another poster here, that most cars are junk even if you go to high end brands. Engines are burning out at 20,000 km, - 70,000 km.

Quote;"Do the oil industries and the petroleum industries work hand in hand?"

A - "ALL" of the big corporations are in each others pockets.IMO, the Big-Oil tells the Big-3 how to design the vehicles to operate poorly, mpg, fuel used etc.Vehicle designs that last "too-long" {GM's TBI for example} are soon retrofitted with designs that may not be cheaper, but most certainly wear out sooner.For Example, In 1994 or 93 GM replaced the 4.3L TBI with the awful CPI [Central Port Injection] which was not only problematic, but did Not meet the CARB requirements.So all the 4.3L GM's sold outside" Ca were called the "W" motor with the CPI.Inside CA, they HAD to use the "OLD" 4.3L TBI "Z" motors to meet the stringent CARB standards.

Quote;"Delorean and his experience with GMC,

A - Sorta like the "Tucker" automobile, the Big-3 made sure his attempt was unsuccessful. Don't forget Stan Ovshinsky, who designed the NiMH Vehicle Battery system. Ovshinsky entrusted GM that his NiMH Vehicle Battery system would be manufactured and used in electric vehicles such as the successor to the EV-1. This was the final hurdle to the true "Electric Car"WRONG, GM sold it to Texaco.Read my post no. 10 on the 1st page of this thread. Now we're stuck with environmentally unfriendly LiON batteries that are Way Too Expensive and Prone to Fire.

Quote;"We should also include a 3rd party in this, and that would be government"

A - The US is no longer a Democracy but now a Plutonomy. The Government is run by the Corporations. Ever hear of the "Revolving Door" in Washington ?Leaders who were 'Public servants" are instantly VP's at some large Corp and should it fall, they most surely get a "Golden Parachute"

Quote;"automotive manufacturers are giving lip service to design, performance, and environmental considerations;they are simply experimenting with cutting costs and cutting quality to increase their profit margins."

A - I cannot put my hand on it right now, but somewhere in The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) , "corporations" are now considered as "living entities" and as such, fall under the US Constitution with regard to rights.

A - Also, somewhere deep in the CFR, is the legal "Mandate" that corporations "primary" or First responsibility is to the stockholders.AFTER that, comes the responsibility to the employee, the economy and the environment.

Q/"Engines are burning out at 20,000 km, - 70,000 km.

A - I've heard that some, including the Nissan Vista have short lifespan, however I cannot verify the validity of those stories.May be lack of proper "hot-tanking" which is the usage of high PH and high Temperature cleaner to remove machining grit and debris.I do know that 1988 and up GM full size trucks will easily run well over 300, 000 miles if you keep the intake gasket from leaking and change the oil.">link title

Another issue regarding Ethanol, there are cheaper methods of inducing Oxygen agents into fuel. Ethanol is the "preferred" method by Big Oil cause it takes 3.5-4 BTU's to manufacture One BTU of Ethanol.Looks good to Big-Oil don't it.

Fuel Oxygenates1 - MTBE - Super Nasty to the Environment, ugg2 - Ethanol - 4 BTU's to make 1- BTU of Ethanol, just who does that "benefit

Ethanol makes the fuel burn cleaner but mainly in Cold Weather. So bring back the old style "Manifold Heat" to the intake in cold weather ?Thermostatically controlled.3. Ether4. Many others exist, some work, some work but have consequences, check the EU link for what they say.

Quote From GM"Specifically designed to meet the needs of GM gasoline engines, dexos1&#153;:

* has improved viscometric properties, creating less friction in the engine which contributes to improved fuel economy. * resists aeration, which enables fuel-saving devices, such as Variable Valve Timing, to work optimally * offers improved oxidation and deposit-forming tendencies allowing emission systems to operate longer and optimally * resists degradation between oil changes, extending the time and mileage interval between oil changes"end quote

I knew Ford had mandated change intervals at a frequent rate for the VVT assembly to stay free and working, GM added some "Legalese" to the wording to "help [Confuse] us

As far as Ashland Oil and BP, "we" the untouchables will never be included in the upper echelon scum that knows who is or who isn't in "The Group"Maybe that BP is excluded from the "Good-ol-Boys" group due to their corp hdqrs are in the "Motherland.Ashland Oil is based in KY, maybe they were bought out like so many companies lately by the Chinese [j/k, but really WHO knows for sure]

Quote;"Valvoline already meets all the requirements of the dexosTM2 specification with our SynPower MST 5W-30 . Valvoline began introducing oils meeting the dexosTM1 specification in October 2010

SN and ILSAC GF-5. . GM is taking the unusual step of charging a very significant fee for licensing, an unwarranted cost increase to owners of GM vehicles. Valvoline has decided that we do not want to be a part of this."

PS, this quote was edited for brevity.valvoline, a division of ashland inc.RE: GM dexos specification